Bale ruled out of Champions League game against Bayern

However, the former Tottenham Hotspur star missed the weekend's win over Sporting Gijon and will also be out of action when Real Madrid host Bayern on Tuesday night for the second leg of the Champions League quarter-finals.

Madrid defend a 2-1 lead from the first leg against the German Champions, but will be without injured central defenders, Pepe and Rafael Varene, as well as Bale for the tie.

"We come with a disadvantage but we are still alive", said Bayern's Xavi Alonso, who used to play for Madrid.

Bayern boss Carlo Ancelotti confirmed the Poland striker, who has 15 goals in his last 11 club games, would play, telling a press conference: "Lewandowski is okay".

Real Madrid have also never failed to score in their last 34 Champions League home games, longest ever run in the competition.

"We know how hard it will be".

Zidane then suggested that he only replaced Bale as a precaution as he did not want to take any risk with the Wales global ahead of the coming crucial encounters with Bayern and Barcelona.

Arjen Robben believes it possible for Bayern to salvage something in the match against Madrid, despite losing the first leg 2-1 at home.

Spain attacking midfielder Isco, who scored twice, including a last minute victor, in Madrid's 3-2 win over Sporting Gijon on Saturday, is likely to replace Bale - but Zidane was keep his cards close to his chest. He is three short of the 100th-goal mark in the Champions League.

Only two teams have reversed a first-leg home loss in Champions League history - when Inter Milan eliminated Bayern in 2010-11 and Ajax got past Panathinaikos in 1995-96.

"I hope he will be with us, but we have to wait and see", he added.

3 - He might have blotted his copy book with a woeful penalty, but Arturo Vidal has been responsible for Bayern's past three goals in the Champions League.